1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to human activities, and more particularly to apparatus that mimics the causes of inability to perform selected common actions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The detrimental effects of intoxication on the ability of persons to perform common activities is well known. For example, major efforts have been made for years to rid the highways of intoxicated drivers.
A vital part of law enforcement involves educating drivers about the dangers of driving when intoxicated. As part of such educational programs, various types of equipment have been developed that simulate intoxication. An example of a prior educational aid is a pair of goggles with eyepieces that deceive the wearer as to the actual locations of objects he is viewing. When the person wears the prior goggles, he perceives his surroundings as being displaced from their actual locations. Consequently, the person becomes disoriented and is unable to perform such simple activities as walking in a straight line. Examples of prior eyewear that induce disorientation may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,522,474; 4,698,564; and 5,362,238.
The eyewear of the foregoing patents employs two separate eyepieces made from fresnel lenses with straight light refracting prisms. The prior eyewear shifts the apparent locations of objects as perceived by the wearer relative to their actual locations. Depending on the orientation of the refracting prisms in the eyewear, the objects are perceived as being up, down, or to one side of their true locations relative to the wearer. However, the products of the foregoing patents produce little, if any, actual distortion of the perceived objects. After a relatively short time wearing the eyewear, a person becomes acclimated to the perceived shift in location. The impairment effect of the eyewear is thus reduced.
The Pacific Science Center And Group Health Cooperative, under a grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Center For Research Resources, has designed a visual perception curriculum entitled "Brain Power It's All In Your Head." The Pacific Science Center curriculum employs fresnel lenses as a tool for disorienting persons. Two separate small eyepieces made from the corners of a fresnel lens are used. The refracting prisms of the fresnel lens may be curved. The refracting prisms of both eyepieces are parallel to each other. Because of the short lengths of the refracting prisms in each eyepiece, a person perceives objects as being only displaced from their true locations. In fact, the Pacific Science Center curriculum specifically instructs persons using its described eyewear to readjust it if distortions are perceived.
As further background, intoxication simulation apparatus that does not involve eyewear is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,918,176 and 4,058,911. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,777,717 and 5,867,247 disclose eyeglasses that simulate visual anomalies that may result from eye surgery.
Despite the availability of existing equipment that produces visual displacements to a person for simulating intoxication and other incapacities, further development is desirable.